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Has Apple abandoned the Mac Mini?

The last time Apple update the Mac Mini range of desktop computers was in October 2014. Almost three years without even a minor spec-bump has left the Mac Mini hopelessly out of date.

We have a 2014 Mac mini with Fusion Drive that’s still capable of running macOS Sierra and even macOS High Sierra perfectly fine. However, it can only support 4K at 30Hz which is far from ideal and it’s 2.8GHz i5 dual-core CPU is several generations old and starting to show it’s age especially with video encoding and iMovie. It’s also missing USB Type-C ports with Thunderbolt 3 as well as a fast PCI-E SSD like modern Macs.

Apple have seemingly focused their attention mainly on their MacBook Pro and iMac range when it comes to macOS based devices. The current Mac Pro is around 4 years old with a new version only planned for release in 2018.

Desktop Macs are often used for content creation which makes having a fast, modern CPU and GPU essential. We think that Apple should update their desktop range more or less annually just like their MacBook range. It's either that or they should just abandon the platform completely instead of stringing their loyal customers with the hope of an update that may never come.

The upcoming iMac Pro looks like a step in the right direction but it's not ideal. It’s very expensive and it’s very nature of being an all-in-one machine means that you are stuck with it’s integrated display and it’s hardware can’t be upgraded very easily.

We would love to see a Mac Pro and a Mac Mini in 2018 that will run AMD’s Threadripper CPUs that will make content creation a breeze. That combined with fast SSDs, DDR4 RAM, current gen GPUs and a slew of Thunderbolt 3 USB Type-C ports will make a possible 2018 Mac Mini powerful and worthwhile upgrade.

We think that a powerful range of desktop Macs that can tear through video encoding, make mincemeat of Final Cut Pro X and cruise through the most demanding Photoshop tasks will not only invigorate the current aging range of Mac Minis and Mac Pros but also renew the faith of the many loyal Apple desktop fans waiting for an upgrade.